Getting to the city from Fiumicino Airport

Most international flights from outside Europe land in Fiumicino, Rome’s main international airport, which is near the coast to the west of Rome. Transport options from here are train, taxi or coach.

Train

There are two kinds of train that service Fiumicino: the express and the local train.

The ‘Leonardo Express’ takes 30 minutes to get to Termini, Rome’s main train station. It’s modern, direct, air-conditioned, has wheelchair accessible toilets on board, and is very frequent. It costs €14 each way. [Support this site: for no extra cost to you, we earn a small bonus if you buy your Leonardo Express train ticket here =>]

The local FL1 metropolitan train is slower but cheaper. It can be marked ‘Orte’, ‘Monterotondo’ or ‘Fara Sabina’, and stops at several stations in Rome including Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana and Tiburtina. Ostiense and Tiburtina stations are both connected to the Metro. There are toilets on board (one of which is wheelchair accessible) available in the front and back carriages, and tickets to the city are €8.

Tickets can be bought from the machines in the airport station, or from the ticket booth or private ticket stand if open, though you sometimes get charged a small booking fee. Either of the options above will leave you at a train station, and from there you will of course have to travel to your final destination.

Note that when you buy a ticket from one of the machines (which have an English language option), it will ask you which specific train time you want to travel on. This is misleading, as all tickets bought from the machines are valid for three months from the date of issue – so just choose the next available train time and you’ll be fine. If you buy a ticket online just carry a printout of your voucher.

Important note: when travelling on these or any other intercity train in Italy, you must validate your ticket just before you get on the train, or you could face a stiff fine! Validation is done in machines on or near the platforms that look like this.

Taxi

Taxis are meant to charge a set fee for anywhere in the city, currently €48 per car for up to four passengers including baggage, to destinations within the Aurelian Walls (essentially the city center). If your destination is outside the walls they will use the meter, which can work out more expensive. However some drivers will try to add ‘extras’ on, or rely on you not knowing what the set fee is. Even though it’s expensive and subject to traffic restrictions, a cab will drop you directly at your hotel.

Coach

There are several bus companies that run coaches into the city. These usually stop at Termini, though some will stop in the Vatican area too before continuing to Termini. At €4-6, they are the cheapest option, but they are subject to the vagaries of traffic. Some of the coach companies also tend not to leave until they are full, which means you may be sitting on the coach for thirty minutes or more, waiting for other passengers. The coaches stop running at 11.30pm but there is a limited night coach service to Rome from Fiumicino.

Shuttle bus

A little more luxurious than the coach, these smaller busses also have the advantage of dropping you and your luggage direct to the door of your hotel. However you also have to share with people going to their hotels too, so the end of your journey may end up a little delayed. [Support this site: we earn a small bonus if you book your shuttle bus here =>]